Whether you live in Patchogue, or are considering moving to the area to pursue your education, there are a variety of schools nearby that offer excellent programs in fashion design. A lovely village at the south shore of Long Island, Patchogue is an excellent place to pursue an education in fashion design. A small but thriving waterfront community, Patchogue is located in Suffolk County, about 55 miles from Manhattan and Brooklyn, both of which are home to a large urban population and many educational opportunities.

Patchogue is on New York State’s Long Island, and Long Island is an excellent place to pursue education in fashion design. Long Island is home to many style savvy and fashion conscious residents. Donna Karan, fashion designer and founder of the popular DKNY brand, grew up on Long Island. The island is also home to an array of chic boutiques and eclectic fashion design studios, creating a thriving milieu for would-be fashion designers. Urban centers on Long Island and nearby Manhattan Island are about an hour’s drive (or ferry ride) from Patchogue. Fashion design schools in the area offer the opportunity to live in or near Patchogue while pursuing education in fashion design.

What Does a Fashion Designer Do?

Before embarking on a fashion design education, you should consider what a fashion designer actually does. Fashion designers are involved in many aspects of the process of creating and launching fashions to the public. The primary job of a fashion designer is to create unique designs that may follow or build upon current trends, but always with a fresh twist. The heart of this work is creating sketches and storyboards as precursor to design prototypes. The fashion designer transfers his or her mental design vision for outward expression. Once the design idea is firmly established, the fashion designer creates a design prototype called a toile. After a few intermediate stages, the finished garment is created with the help of a professional dressmaker. If the designer is pleased with the final result, the designer will approve it for public showing. If not, the designer may change or do away with the design altogether. Many fashion designers arrange for showing of garments, select models, and manage other aspects of showing a collection as well.

How Should You Choose a Fashion Design School?

With the variety of quality choices available, choosing from Patchogue fashion design schools can be a challenge. A few quality programs in the greater urban areas around Patchogue are The New School and Fashion Institute of Technology at SUNY in New York City, as well as the Pratt Institute with campuses in Brooklyn and Manhattan. These are just a few popular programs; there are many others to choose from. The key point to remember is to choose a school that is the right fit for you. Evaluate each school’s academic offerings to see what courses match your interests. Talk to academic advisors at each of the schools you’re considering, and get an idea of the overall atmosphere and philosophy of the school. Remember that the elite high fashion of Paris runway shows is not the only option. A fashion design school may emphasize functional wardrobe design, or haute fashion. Whatever your focus, be sure to choose the school that is right for your goals and interests.